Thaw out a Second Life

Choices in Life

As soon as Akagi recovers, she and Kaga return to the Sakura Empire with Bismarck escorting them personally to ensure their safe return. They got injured within Iron Blood territory, so she feels the need to at least take a form of responsibility for their safe return.

"You really have gotten soft, Bismarck"

Akagi sits down and inhales a bit of a warm tea aroma to calm her nerves and ease her exhaustion.

"Neumark inspected the rigging and found no sign of tampering. If it's clear, then I see no reason to accuse you of sabotage" Bismarck stares at her cup of tea
"Truthfully speaking, there was no need to sabotage it. I realized the chances of failure were higher than success.....but I wanted to gamble on the miracle that another Zwei would come to be"

Akagi exhales deeply to express her dismay at the failed process and how she couldn't benefit from it.

"Well your sister was sort of Zwei and META at the same time"
"What do you mean?"
"The Tirpitz I faced was stronger than a regular kansen. She was annoyingly durable and resilient that my bombs are like fireworks to her" Akagi giggles a bit
"........"
"The ability to manipulate ice belonged to the dead META, but she utilized it with great capacity. Not only can she weaken her opponents with hypothermia but she clad her rigging in ice armor. It's only when I angered her that the rigging transformed and further strengthened her"

Akagi can't take note of Tirpitz's raw power but the utility of her freezing ability makes her a troublesome opponent. The blizzard slowly overwhelms normal kansens like her partnered with high durability and resistance against explosive attacks.

"For someone who was abruptly woken up, her ability to wield it is suspicious. She bends the cold to her will without hesitation and confusion. It's not someone who had just gained the power" Akagi's gaze becomes sharp
"What are you saying?"
"Bismarck, are you certain your sister was free of the META's influence? Perhaps she feared the lingering influencing and restricted it in front of everyone"
"........"

It prompts Bismarck to recall when she enters Tirpitz's unlocked room and is greeted by cold air. When her fingertips slightly Tirpitz's skin, there's no warmth but completely cold no different from a block of ice. Then there's the subtle moment of Tirpitz freezing the surface of her steaming hot coffee.

"Akagi, why did you taunt Tirpitz in trying to kill you? What would you gain from dying?"
"She wouldn't be able to kill me. I admit I tried to burn her alive, but she was more in conflict with herself" Akagi smirks
"With herself?"
"Tirpitz was talking to someone that wasn't there and she's struggling to move her body. Her movements often pause for a second and her hand grabs her other hand"
"What are you trying to say?" Bismarck is confused
"It's as if her mind and body are separate. What she wills, the body rejects. Since she's your sister, you should know what's wrong with her"

Akagi isn't in the mood to guess or suspect foul play, so she throws that problem to Bismarck.

"Even if there's a possibility she has access to the META's power, how it will affect her?"
"If by any chance that's the case, then her body won't be able to withstand it. The META may be immune to her power, but it will recoil if she ever tries to use it. It's a power that's more trouble than worth"

Since Bismarck is concerned about Tirpitz's state, Akagi hypothesizes Tirpitz will be affected by the power of the META as it's not an ability engraved in her wisdom cube. She would be simply using it without the benefits.

"Her condition stabilized because the rigging successfully mitigated the corrosive META influence. However, it baffles me why her output is similar to a META when she rampaged and she has complete control over the rigging" Akagi is personally curious
"It's still under investigation, but that's within Iron Blood now" Bismarck vaguely answers
"What a shame......"